“Reading Romans: All Things / Nothing"

“All things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.”

[1] Painting in the Grotto of St. Paul, Ephesus, late 5th century

Romans 8:26-39

July 26, 2026

Dr. Todd R. Wright

“All things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.”

That was the favorite verse of Bob Ward, the last surviving “life elder” when I arrived at First Presbyterian Church, Mt. Holly, NC back in 1997. He was “Mr. Presbyterian” to the folks in those parts. Every time I saw Bob. he’d ask with a twinkle in his eye, “Do you know my favorite piece of scripture?” And then we would whisper those words together.

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Can you imagine being in the crowd as those words were first read out in Rome?

By this point they had heard a lot from Paul – some of it a summation of what they already knew and believed; some of it new. When Paul got on a roll, some of his words were inspiring; some were confusing, some came out in a passionate tangle; some sentences dragged on and on. But, about 30 minutes into the reading, they hear something that makes everyone catch their breath:

“All things work together for good!”

For many, I suspect, those words became the words they would most remember from the whole letter; the words they would treasure; the words they’d share with friends! Just like Bob!

Why do you think that was?

I think the Romans had been through a lot. I think they had seen a lot – not all of it good!

As I mentioned a few weeks ago, some may have been present at Pentecost and brought the faith back to the capital of the Empire. Not just the story of how the crucifixion had been transformed from tragedy into triumph. They had also seen, with their own eyes, the Holy Spirit loosen tongues and burn through a crowd like wildfire; seen how it made people brave and filled them with hope; seen how it united people as they prayed together, and shared meals, and grew in faith.

For them, the phrase “all things” summed up God’s mighty deeds!

But some of them had also experienced being expelled from Rome by the Emperor Claudius.

Imagine showing up to the synagogue to find that your place of worship – the thin place where God seemed close and you could pour out your heart and draw strength – was closed!

Maybe you had been part of the riots that the emperor cited as his reason; maybe not, but either way the soldiers probably terrified you. They were just looking for an excuse to beat or arrest you.

For them, it still hurt, even years later, so “all things” was harder to swallow.

And everyone listening to the letter knew about the tensions of being the church. Unity is hard when the congregation is made up of such a diverse group of people. Witnessing is hard when your neighbors suspect you of being disloyal. Even praying is hard when you live in the belly of the beast. How do you pray for the oppressed … and the oppressors?

For them, “all things” may have seemed too good to be true.

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Even today, those words leave both the faithful and the seeking with a variety of reactions – from eager adoption, to yearning, to skepticism.

Paul seems to have anticipated a mixed response:

Erin Heim writes,

“The context of the passage makes clear that Paul is not discounting the presence of suffering and hardship in the present. Rather, God’s goodness is so overwhelming and powerful that God is able to bring good out of any circumstance, even those circumstances that are painful and horrific. This does not mean that the painful and horrific circumstances become good in themselves but, [instead], that in the midst of all things — even horrific things — God is faithful,

and God is working to bring God’s goodness and glory to creation.”[2]

We see God’s commitment to bringing goodness and redemption out of the horrific most clearly in the death and resurrection of Jesus. That’s the template for Paul. When he says we are like sheep being slaughtered, his audience is supposed to remember the “Lamb who was slain”.

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We are predestined, says Paul, not for soft couches and easy money, but to be “conformed to the image of [Christ]”!

Interesting! What image do you have of Christ?

Maybe it is preaching parables and smiling as people understood his descriptions of the kingdom of God. Maybe it is welcoming children, or forgiving a woman caught in adultery, or healing a blind man, or raising Lazarus from the dead. Maybe it is sneaking up on disciples by walking on water or mischievously surprising them by feeding the 5000 with one boy’s lunch!

We are being conformed to those images of Christ when we preach and teach; welcome people with hospitality and bring healing; show up to calm the frightened and feed the hungry.

But those images, Paul seems to be hinting, would be incomplete if they do not also include Jesus’ suffering, even to the point of death, like a sacrificial lamb.

If we are to be like him, it will include some suffering.

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Doug Bratt writes,

“Paul looks right into the mouth of a roaring lion that is misery. He recognizes that the Christian life is not some kind of perpetual holiday. The apostle bluntly acknowledges that the Christian life includes sometimes excruciating and almost unbearable suffering.”[3]

Paul should know. In another letter he writes, “Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned … I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my own countrymen, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false brothers.”[4]

Bratt continues:

“So Christians’ baptism doesn’t include a money-back guarantee that we won’t encounter death, angels, or even demons. God doesn’t guarantee that we won’t experience the loss of our job, health or memory. Terrorists and global warming may strike very close to home. Jesus’ adopted brothers and sisters may endure broken relationships, miscarriage, infertility or even random violence. Yet God tightly holds us closely to himself in God’s love.

God’s adopted children may not escape depression and cancer. Yet they won’t conquer us. Christians may have to battle disability and doubt. But they won’t win the victory over us. God’s beloved people may have to fight sins or addictions that stubbornly cling to us until the day we die. Yet God’s love will have the last word.”

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You see what Paul has done here, right? He has shifted his focus from “all things” to “nothing” – from all the things that God will transform, remake, redeem, so that we might become more Christ-like, to the joyful message that nothing in all creation can separate us from the love of God!

I’m sure the Romans were just as surprised at this turn as we are now. I can picture them lining up to ask questions. There must be exceptions. Scott Hoezee imagines it unfolding like this …

“So a woman whose body is riddled with cancer comes and asks, ‘Do my tumors separate me from the love of God [- a sign of abandonment]?’ Paul says ‘No!’

A [child] in a wheelchair rolls up and asks, ‘Does my disability separate me from the love of God?’ [The answer is] ‘No!’

A just-widowed woman whose whole body aches with grief asks, ‘Does my dear one’s death separate him, or me, from the love of God?’ [Say it with me now:] ‘No!’

A man whose clinical depression [has caused him to contemplate suicide] asks, ‘Does my [deadly despair] separate me from the love of God?’ [Thank God, the answer is still] ‘No!’

A [teenager] with an addiction shuffles up shame-faced, eyes downcast as she mutters, ‘Am I such a bad sinner that I am separated from the love of God?’ [You know the answer:] ‘No!’”[5]

There is nothing in all creation that can separate you from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord! That covers everyone, everything, every conceivable situation.

That’s the message Paul wants the believers in Rome to embrace. Us too! Amen

[1] Painting in the Grotto of St. Paul, Ephesus, Late 5th Century

[2] From her reflections on the text for workingpreacher.org, 7/26/26

[3] Here and following, from his reflections on the text for cepreaching.org, 7/26/20

[4] See 2 Corinthians 11:24

[5] Adapted from his reflections on the text for cepreaching.org, 7/30/17